Sheet separating and feeding device



Feb. 18, 1936. 3 p s SHEET SEPARATING AND FEEDING DEVICE Filed Auz. 24, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 18,1936. e. SPIESS SHEET SEPARATING AND FEEDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 24, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 18,

' U NlTED STATES LGBLW PATENT OFFICE SHEET SEPARATING.AND FEEDING DEVICE Georg Spiess, Leipzig, Germany Application August 24, 1934, Serial Nb. 741,264

In Germany August 28, 1933 This invention relates to a sheet separating and feeding device, and particularly to sheet guiding means thereof. Y I

In sheet separating and feeding devices, operating with suction air conveyor rollers continually rotating over an adjusted pile of sheets which is moved step by step difiiculties arise in separating from the pile sheets whose front edge, owing to the entrance of moisture or other influences, undulates downwardly and is bent down towards the top of the pile table. Exact, sure and troublefree feeding and removal of these sheets from the pile by means of the suction roller rotating thereover depend mainly on safely guiding an air current directed by a correspondingly constructed blast device against the front edge of the topmost sheet to be removed from the pile under the surface of the top sheet so as to separate the latter Without fail from the next sheet and the pile. This reliability of operation cannot be attained if the front edge of the sheet is bent down and slides elastically on the table or on the sheet guiding means, as the gap normally formed between the topmost and the second sheets will be closed thereby and the blast airpass over the surface of the sheet instead of under it. The air will thus press back the sheet onto the pile and not raise it, so that the sheet cannot be drawn up by the vacuum of the suction roller with the result that interruptions occur in the feeding process.

, sheets enter with their downwardly bent front edge the obliquely ascending bars of the guide member and are thus lifted oif from their support, so that the air can enter withoutfail the gap formed between the lifted sheets and the rest of the pile and easily separate them from the latter. By way of example, one form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which all parts not essential for an understanding of the invention have been omitted and in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a device according to. the invention; Fig. 2, a plan of the parts shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a partial view of Fig. 1 on an" enlarged scale to show clearly the iorrna- -tion of the gap between the topmost sheet and th rest of the pile.

Referring to the drawings, the pile I which is staggered or arranged in echelon, is carried by the periodically moving conveyor band 2 and brought with its front edge to the point of engagement with the continually rotating suction roller-3. The sheets pass with their front edge over the surface of the pile guide plate 4 and while doing so are exposed to the air current of a blast 5 and loosened. When the sheets havereached a 6 shortly before the plate 4, they are subjected to the suction draught of the nozzle 1 which, by vacuum, draws up the top sheet 8 to the circumference of the continually rotating roller 3- and guides. it to the feed roller 6 by meansof the stripper 9 and pressure rolls, not shown.

The guide plate 4 possesses recesses ll through which the rods l2 of a sheet guiding member or bar l3 pass for guiding the front edge of the top sheet. The member l2, I3 is movably disposed in the frame of the apparatus. By means of a set screw l4 arranged on the outside of the frame wall andhugging the stopping vface of the stop lever l6 actuated by the spring I5, the position as to height of the guide rods 12 can be determined and regulated also with respect to the suction roller 3. The staggered pile I passes with its top sheet 8, especially in case of a downwardly directed front edge of. the foremost sheet, onto these certain point in the direction of the feeding roller guide rods I2, is turned up and thus forms with the next 'sheet a broad gap which can be conveniently entered by the air coming. out of the blast 3 for separating completely the top sheet and loosening somewhat thenext one.

I claim:- 1. A sheet separating and feeding device, adapted to feed from a pile of paper sheets arranged in echelonfcomprising in combination:

a. suctiorl member'for separating and feeding.

the sheets from the pile; stationary means for lifting the foremost edge of the top sheet from the edge of the second sheet to form a gap between the top sheet and the rest of thepile; means for adjusting said stationary lifting means; and an air blast member for blowing air into the gap; said stationary lifting means operating independently of the pile feed.

'2. A sheet separating and feeding device,

' adapted to feed from a pile of paper sheets arranged in echelon, comprising in combination: a suction member for separating and feeding the sheets from the pile; a stationary guide bar for lifting the foremost edge of the top sheet from the edge of the second sheet to form a gap between the top sheet and the rest of the pile; means for adjusting said guide bar; apertures in said guide bar; and an air blast member arranged opposite to said apertures for blowing air therethrough into the gap; said guide bar operating independently of the pile feed.

3. A sheet separating and feeding device, adapted to feed from a pile of papersheets arranged in echelon, comprising in combination: a suction member for separating and feeding the sheets from the pile; a pile table; apertures in the part of the pile table receiving the foremost edges of the upper sheets; a stationary guide bar; means for adjusting said guide bar;

spaced fingers on said guide bar adapted to project through said apertures of the pile table to lift the foremost edge of the top sheet from the second sheet to form a gap between the foremost edge of the top sheet and the rest of the pile, and an air blast member arranged opposite to the guide bar for blowing air through the space between the fingers into the gap; said guide bar operating independently of the pile feed.

4. A sheet separating and feeding device, adapted to feed from a pile of paper sheets arranged in echelon, comprising in combination: a suction member for separating and feeding the sheets from the pile; a stationary guide member; means for adjusting said stationary guide member; an inclined surface on said guide member for lifting up the foremost part of the top sheet from the edge of the second sheet to form a gap between the edge of the top sheet and the rest of the pile; and an air blast member for blowing air into the gap; said guide member operating independently of the pile feed.

5. A sheet separating and feeding device, adapted to feed from a pile of paper sheets arranged in echelon, comprising in combination: a suction member for separating and feeding the sheets from the pile; a pile table for receiving the foremost parts of the upper sheets; apertures in said pile table; a stationary guide bar; means for adjusting said guide bar; spaced and inclined fingers on said guide bar projecting through the apertures in said table for lifting up the foremost edge of the top sheet from the edge of the second sheet to form a gap between the top sheet and the rest of the pile; and an air blast member arranged opposite to the guide bar for blowing air into the gap; said guide bar operating independently of the pile feed.

6. A sheet separating and feeding device, adapted to feed from a pile of paper sheets arranged in echelon, comprising in combination: a, continually rotating suction roller for separating and feeding the sheets from the pile; a stationary guide bar for lifting the foremost edge of the top sheet of the pile from the edge of the second sheet so as to form a. gap between the top sheet and the rest of the pile, said guide bar being provided with apertures; means for adjusting said guide bar; and means for producing an air blast arranged opposite to said apertures for blowing air therethrough into the gap.

GEORG SPIESS. 

